Pet Birthday Parties Are Becoming Popular

It's official: Dogs are the new children. It's no longer enough to feed one's pet homemade food or to take them to posh doggie day care. Now expensive dog birthday parties (complete with dog-friendly birthday cake) at bars and restaurants are becoming all the rage.

According to Mother Nature Network, dog owners in New York City have begun hiring canine party planners, who charge $100 to $500 for events in which owners can rent limos with their dogs. East Village bar Drop Off Service is a popular venue, given its lax attitude toward pets -- patrons can imbibe beer while their dogs celebrate with oat and carrot "pup cakes." Special pet bakeries around the city are also featuring birthday cakes made especially for dogs.

Now, it's never a bad thing to love one's pet, but really, $500 for a canine party planner? But then again, $500 to celebrate Fido's Bark Mitzvah is a hell of a lot cheaper than the $10,000 to celebrate one's 13-year-old's coming of age. And Fido won't complain or throw tantrums.